


Direction

by Peskychloe



Series: Spinal Injury AU [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Disabled Character, Established Relationship, M/M, Quite a lot of cuddling, Spinal Injury, basically the holiday I went on but with these two dorks, first holiday, massive dorks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-29
Updated: 2017-09-29
Packaged: 2019-01-05 21:42:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12197952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peskychloe/pseuds/Peskychloe
Summary: "The two of them were finally going to be alone, for two days and nights, with Chikara having only Yuuji to rely on for everything. The more he thought about it, the more Yuuji wondered if seven months was long enough to prepare after all."Yuuji finally takes Chikara on the holiday he got him for his birthday.(A one-shot which comes after Incomplete - probably won’t make sense without reading that)





	Direction

**Author's Note:**

  * For [K8ecrowley](https://archiveofourown.org/users/K8ecrowley/gifts), [Chrysophyta](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chrysophyta/gifts).



> There is a sex scene for this holiday I wrote in. It ended up being a bit out of tone, despite being right for the characters at that time, so I posted it separately. The whole thing makes sense without the sex scene, but if you'd like to read it, it's [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/12005931). If you'd like to read it in the right place, there's *** where I moved it from.

By the time July rolled around, Yuuji had almost forgotten about Chikara's birthday present. Seven months is a ridiculous amount of time to have to wait for a gift, even one as exhilarating as this one.

The two of them were finally going to be alone, for two days and nights, with Chikara having only Yuuji to rely on for everything. The more he thought about it, the more Yuuji wondered if seven months was long enough to prepare after all.

“How long are you going for again?”

“Two nights,” he answered without looking up at his mum.

“Why are you packing so many shirts?” Tamiko started flipping through the pile of folded shirts on Yuuji's bed. “Honey bee, you have seven shirts here. And only one pair of trousers.”

“I just folded those,” he said, slapping her hand away, “Please, let me pack.”

“It's the first time you've gone away on your own. Let me fuss.” She went to the wardrobe and picked out another pair of jeans. “Take these as well.”

“I'm wearing a pair and have a spare. That's enough.”

She threw them onto the bed. “I do your washing. You're going to need spare ones.” She raised an eyebrow at him and the penny finally dropped.

“Mum! Oh my god.” He called through his bedroom door. “Dad, please tell Mum to stop being embarrassing.

“I've been trying for twenty years already,” his Dad said over his glasses from the bathroom door. “It's not working.”

“Why so many shirts?” she said, holding the top one up and peering at it.

He snatched it back from her and put it on top of the jeans in his suitcase. "I dunno what I'll feel like wearing."

“Does he really care what you wear?”

“ _I_ care.” He carried on piling shirts up, smoothing the top one each time. “I've got to lift him a lot. I'm worried I'll rip one or it'll get really sweaty or something.”

“Okay, okay.” She looked in his wardrobe again. “Why aren't you taking this one? I like this black...oh.”

“Mum! Stop snooping.”

“What happened here?” she asked, poking a finger through a hole in the front.

“It got a bit ripped. After my birthday,” He blushed and grabbed the shirt off her, pushing it into the back of his wardrobe.

“How the heck did Chikara rip your shirt? With his teeth or something?”

“Mum!” He shouted a third time. “I ripped it taking it off 'cause I was drunk!” He started pushing her gently out of his bedroom. “Leave...me...alone...please!”

“Okay. But take that green one,” she said over her shoulder, “You look so handsome in it.”

"It's already packed!" He slammed the door closed, leant against it sighing and then finished packing on his own.

–

The door was opened by an unfamiliar dark-haired woman, who was clearly related to the Ennoshitas in some way. She was an inch or so taller than Yuuji, with a jaw length black bob and a huge smile.

“You must be Yuuji! Come in, come in.”

“Oh, hi. Yes.” He walked through the door with his suitcase, slipping off his shoes.

“Sorry, should have said. I'm Amanai.” She pointed to her chest. “His cousin? My mum and Toshi are sisters. Has he not...?”

“He did mention an Aunt.”

“Chikara!” She put her hands on her hips and rounded on him as he came through the bedroom door, pushed by Jin. “You didn't tell your boyfriend about me?”

“I'm sure I did?” He looked over at Yuuji, who just shook his head and smiled. “Oh. Sorry. Well. You met now, right? No harm.”

Yuuji walked over and kissed him. “Might have been nice knowing. I thought I was at the wrong house.”

“Amanai came over to see about being a carer for me.”

Yuuji looked confused for a second. “I thought you wanted male carers?”

“Well, I did, but then you got jealous.” He rolled his eyes at Amanai. “Somehow he thought I might fall for someone else. I mean, look at him. Why would I look at anyone else?”

Amanai blushed and looked up at Yuuji under her long eyelashes. “I don't think you have anything to worry about there.” Her eyes flicked down again, before she looked back at Chikara. “I didn't realise you were going on holiday though, or I wouldn't have popped over today!”

“Do you ever tell anyone anything?” Jin said, coming back in with the long plastic box Yuuji knew contained the travel hoist.

Toshi followed behind, carrying two bags. Yuuji ran forward to take them from her and they shared a smile. He added the two new bags to his own by the front door, while Jin went out through the door with the large box.

“Let me help,” he said, following. “I want to see how to get this into the van.”

Jin opened a side door, easily picking up the box and sliding it behind the front seats. “Pretty simple,” he said with a smile, dusting off his hands.

“Oh! I expected it to be heavier.”

They walked back in together to collect the other bags. “This one is heavier, see?” He passed over a black holdall, which was indeed much heavier than Yuuji expected.

“And that's the electronic bit?” Jin nodded. He'd shown Yuuji how to put the hoist together, how to attach the cartridge, and how to use it all. He'd had a couple of trial runs and it wasn't much different to the permanent one in Chikara's room.

They both went back inside once the doors were all locked again. Toshi was putting bowls of pasta on the table and Amanai was pushing Chikara under it. She sat next to him, surprising Yuuji.

“Amanai wanted to try feeding me. You don't mind, do you?”

At first, Yuuji had minded a little bit but also felt ridiculous about it. "I'll be sick of feeding you soon, knock yourself out."

He took a seat opposite them both and Chikara winked at him. Jin sat next to him. “Thanks, Mum. We have to leave straight after this.” He turned to Yuuji. “How long will it take?”

“Google says three hours but I want to stop halfway for a bit.” Yuuji tucked into his pasta, giving Toshi a thumbs-up as he did so. She smiled and fetched her own food from the kitchen, sitting at the head of the table.

Amanai held a spoon of pasta near Chikara's mouth. “Is this too much? Not enough?”

“It's fine,” Chikara said with a little irritation, “It's only giving me food. Stop being so nervous.”

“Be nice,” his Dad scolded.

“Sorry.” He took the mouthful and Amanai ate some of her own. Her eyes kept flicking quickly towards Chikara as she did, watching for him to finish his mouthful.

–

“We ate less than two hours ago.”

“So? Do you not want to try this enormous Jammy Dodger?” Yuuji took a bite and half of the biscuit crumbled away and fell on his lap. He looked down at it, saying a disappointed, “Oh.”

Chikara laughed and opened his mouth for Yuuji to give him a bite. “Mmm, not bad. Not enough jam.”

“That reminds me,” he said wiping Chikara's mouth. “What was that earlier with Amanai?”

“Huh?”

“You were pretty rude.”

“I was not. You're just sticking up for her 'cause she has a crush on you.”

Yuuji's cheeks burnt pink. “No I'm not. She doesn't...you were really rude to her! She was trying to help.”

He sighed. “I don't like it when people make a fuss about doing stuff, that's all. I can't help needing feeding. Shove the food in. We don't need to have a discussion about it.”

“She only wanted to do it right!”

“Yeah, well _you_ don't do that. You just put it in. You always have. That's why I like you.”

He gave him the final piece of biscuit, saying, “I hope that isn't the only reason. I also bring you to the finest restaurants.” He spread his arm to gesture outside of the van window. “Tibshelf services car park.”

Chikara swallowed. “I can't wait to see the hotel. Is it as classy as this?”

Yuuji flicked his nose, got back into the front seat, and they continued their journey up the M1.

–

As the van wound its way up the long driveway, Chikara tried to bend his head to see out of the front window.

“Jesus fucking Christ. What is this?”

“It's the hotel.”

“What the...Yuuji. How...?”

“He's speechless!” He turned in his seat as they went over a small speed bump. “Finally!” He turned back to negotiate a mini roundabout, which swung them around past a church and into a car park.

Yuuji drove them to the front door, where they were met by a man in a navy suit. He got out of the van to be greeted by the man shaking his hand. “Ah, Mr Terushima, I presume. We're very happy to have you both.” His name badge stated he was Carlos, which matched his olive skin, dark hair, and Mediterranean accent.

Yuuji opened the back door and started to get Chikara out, while Carlos opened the side door and began taking bags from the van, loading them onto a gold and red trolley.

“Tell me honestly. Are you Japanese royalty?” Chikara whispered as Yuuji unstrapped the seat belt and began reversing him down the ramp.

“Shh, it's just a nice hotel.”

“Can I help at all?” Carlos said once the luggage was piled on the trolley. He put a hand out to Chikara, who just lifted his hand a little. Carlos was unfazed, moving forward to take his hand and shake it. “Pleasure to meet you too. Anything you need, you have only to ask. Shall I park the car? And then I'll meet you in your room with the luggage.”

“Thank you.” He gave Carlos the keys and then pushed Chikara through the automatic glass doors.

The reception area was dominated by a large fireplace in the centre. It was unlit, of course with this being the summer, but was still stacked with large logs. On the walls were hung enormous square paintings of dogs, one with a horse, another swimming. Every staff member greeted them cheerfully and another porter came out to take them to their room.

The door was controlled by a glass square outside, which he tapped a card against and then held the door for the two of them. The short entry way opened out into a huge room, with an extremely wide bed facing a television. On the glass table under the window, through which they could look out over the gardens, stood a metal bucket with a bottle of champagne in it. Next to the two glasses was a white envelope saying, Mr and Mr Terushima.

Yuuji laughed as he picked up the envelope and held it for Chikara to see, but he didn't join in. Yuuji tilted his head, questioning, but was then interrupted by Carlos and their luggage. He pointed out where he'd like it and Carlos obliged.

“Thanks,” Yuuji said, shaking his hand, slipping a two pound coin into it as he did so.

“Yuuji?” Chikara asked once he'd left and they were alone.

“Let me put up the hoist, so I can relax, yeah?”

“No, come here first. Please?”

He did so, pulling up a chair next to him, pecking his cheek as he sat down. “Alright?”

“Not really. I'm...I didn't...Hmm.” He stumbled over his words as he tried to articulate them. “This must have been expensive. And it's really fancy. Not that I don't like it! But...what is all this?”

“Honestly? There's a reason I wanted to come to this particular hotel. But I'd prefer to keep it a secret until tomorrow night.”

He peered back at Yuuji, no less suspicious than he already had been. “Can I ask something?”

“Always.”

“This isn't easy to say. God. Okay. You're...not proposing, are you?”

Yuuji spluttered out a laugh. “No. Although I'm very flattered by how terrified you look about it, so thanks for that.”

“Just think it's a bit soon,” he muttered.

“Whatever gave you that idea, anyway?”

He nodded his head towards the table. “The champagne. That card.”

He laughed again. “I _did_ ask for the champagne, but the card wasn't me. I told them I was staying here with my boyfriend, obviously, they don't know your name so they went for Mr and Mr. I thought it was kind of cute."

“Hmm. A bit. I'm still...how did you afford this?”

Yuuji sighed. “Can I not treat you without a conversation about how? It's your birthday present, remember?”

“I'm uncomfortable...”

“Hey!” He interrupted him with a nudge. “Remember at Christmas? You told me off for complaining about all my presents. You're not allowed to do the same!”

“Okay! I'll just sit back and enjoy it without thinking you're becoming bankrupt.”

“Dude, I promise you one thing; it's not bankrupting me.”

“Promise?”

“Promise." He looked at his watch and stood up. "It's time for a lie-down. Let me get the hoist sorted."

He unfolded the large box and straightened the legs out of it, planting them either side of the bed. Within a few moments, the metal structure was sturdily straddling the bed, with the electronic lifting equipment attached.

“Which side do you want?”

Chikara nodded to the right and Yuuji made some changes to the arrangement. Eventually, he went back to Chikara and started moving him towards the bed.

“Will you...join me?” Chikara asked him as he was strapped into the sling which would transport him onto the mattress.

“No,” Yuuji said, tucking it around him and kissing him on the forehead. “I booked this huge double bed and ordered champagne, but I'm going to sit by the window on my own.”

“Don't be a dick...”

“Chikara, my love.” His voice was raspy as he leant in to whisper in his ear. “First, I'm going to put you on this bed and take all your clothes off.” He moved to the other ear, pulling straps around the other side. “Then I'm going to take _my_ clothes off, pour us both some champagne, and get in next to you.” Finally, he lifted him in the air and over the bed, finishing with, “And neither of us are getting out of it again until it's time for our dinner reservations at eight.”

“But that's four hours,” Chikara said, smirking, “Whatever will we do?”

As he removed his clothes, he started telling him exactly what he wanted to do to him and what he wanted Chikara to do in return. In such minute detail that Chikara was flushed before he'd even got his shoes off.

It took the best part of two hours, but they did all of it – once he made Yuuji check the door was locked a couple of times.

–

After dinner, their waiter suggested they retired to the library. They both still had a drink, so he brought over a tray for them and then led them to the Mackaness Room.

As they walked, Chikara muttered behind him, “This hotel is ridiculous. What the hell are we doing here? We're so out of place.”

Yuuji leaned forwards, talking into his ear. “Chikara, chill. We have just as much right to be here as anyone else.”

“We're nineteen, for a start. Everyone else is at least forty.” He nodded his head at the other tables, where everyone else did seem to be much older. “They're all wondering how we can afford it.”

“Are you sure that it's not _you_ wondering that again?”

“They're all thinking we're...stowaways. Or whatever the hotel equivalent of stowaways is. Squatters?”

“Honey, I'm cutting off your supply of gin and tonic. You're very paranoid, tonight.” He kissed the top of his head. “It's during the week and the hotel has a golf course. It's groups of retired people who golf. I bet at the weekend there are plenty of younger people.”

The waiter held the door for them and led them towards the back of the room to a round table with a checked design. Along the back wall were leather bound volumes stacked on mahogany shelves. The lighting was low, with candles on most surfaces and lots of fresh flowers. There were two other groups of people in the room; an elderly couple facing each other in straight backed armchairs, and a group of about seven people in their fifties lounging around on battered leather sofas, the table in front of them littered with coffee cups and heavy bottomed glasses.

Yuuji settled Chikara at the table facing away from the wall and sat next to him, leaning on the arm of the wheelchair. His other hand rested on Chikara's knee.

“Would you like a hot drink?” he asked.

“Yeah, maybe.” Chikara turned to the waiter. “Can I have hot chocolate?”

“Of course. Two?” he asked Yuuji, who nodded. “Two hot chocolates on the way.”

While they waited, Yuuji drained his pint, then offered the gin to Chikara.

He shook his head, saying, “I've had enough, I think.”

“I was only teasing.”

“I know. But I felt a bit tipsy after the champagne anyway.”

Yuuji shuffled closer, now he didn't have any glasses to hold, nuzzling his head into Chikara's neck. The clock tower outside was visible, although it was dark, lit up by small bulbs around the edge. There was a net of more lights over a white wooden trellis, creating a blanket of stars behind the flowerbeds to rival the sky.

“It's beautiful here. Thanks, Yuuji.” He turned and kissed Yuuji's forehead, as the waiter arrived with their hot drinks.

–

Yuuji was fuming. While Chikara could understand why, he wasn't quite as incensed and was trying to calm him down.

It wasn't working. “It's the assumption!”

“They're old fashioned! Can I have some porridge?”

He gave him a spoonful, then carried on ranting. “I'm leaning on the arm of your wheelchair. They saw me with my head on your shoulder last night!”

“I'm sure they meant no harm...”

“Is it 'cause we're both men or your wheelchair, do you think?"

“Could be either. Does it matter?” He opened his mouth in the hope it would remind Yuuji he was still eating, then gave up and asked for more food instead.

“Look where my hand is?” Yuuji said, the spoon halfway to Chikara's mouth. “It's practically in your crotch!”

“Keep your bloody voice down and give me that porridge!”

There were a few moments of blessed silence where Chikara thought about what had happened. It was such a small thing, he couldn't work out why it affected Yuuji so much.

The elderly couple from the night before had come over to the table to ask if they were brothers. When they said they weren't, they said how nice it was to see such a young man helping out his good friend so much. Before either of them could respond, or even really compute what had been said, they'd walked off. It was really nothing.

“Why doesn't this bother you?” Yuuji grumbled.

“Because...who cares? They're old. We'll never see them again.”

He pointed at him with the porridge spoon, dropping a dollop onto the tablecloth. “If one of us was a woman, they wouldn't think that.”

“If you were a woman, they would have assumed you were my nurse. Believe me, it happens all the time with Mum.”

“That's just as bad! Disabled people can be in love, too.”

“Is that it?” He smiled at him sideways. “You like people to realise we're in love?”

“Yes! Of course." Yuuji looked affronted like it was the most obvious thing he'd ever been asked.

“Why's that?”

“Because I want everyone to know how lucky I am. And that they can't have you.”

Chikara leaned forwards as far as he could reach. “I'm the luckiest man here.”

Yuuji met him halfway, then regretted it as he wiped porridge off his lips.

–

As they passed the same petrol station for the fourth time, Chikara said, “So, when you said you knew where this place was, that was a lie.”

“No! I do know where it is. If I find the right roundabout, it's easy.”

Chikara sat helplessly in the back, wondering when Yuuji would stop being stubborn and put on the sat nav he'd told him, more than once, could be found in the glove compartment.

“Keep an eye out for a sign for Ripley,” he said with irritation from behind the steering wheel.

“Not sure if you've noticed, but I can't see anything until we're already driving past it.”

“Oh. Fuck.” He ducked his head under the sun visor. “I think that was it. I'll turn 'round here. Hold on.” He swung the van into a road end and out again as quickly.

Chikara fell to the side, before pulling himself up with an arm hooked around the armrest of his chair. “Careful!”

“Sorry! Wasn't thinking.” He pointed through the front windscreen. “There! Got it.”

It took a couple of minutes to get to the hallowed roundabout, but once there, it really was very easy to find their destination. A few feet after the turning, they pulled into a small car park, a wooden fence on the perimeter and a tourist map set on a board near the parking spot.

“See? I knew where it was the whole time.”

“Yes, darling.” He peered outside. “Think we should wait here until the rain passes?”

“Nah.” He jumped out and around to open the back door. “It'll be over soon.”

–

Twenty minutes later, the sky was still spitting fine rain.

“Shall we get under cover? There's a coffee shop there,” Chikara nodded over at a quaint brick walled building squeezed between a gallery and a Post Office.

“There are steps up to the door. Everywhere has fucking steps!”

“What about the castle? That should be accessible?”

Yuuji jogged past the church towards some walls with the tell tale battlements that usually signified a castle in these small English villages. The ground became more cobbled the closer he got until it became almost impossible to push Chikara over it.

“I need to lean you back to get over here.” He tilted him so his head was against his chest, getting a flash of the time they all went to the pub and he stood in a similar position.

The angle made it easier to push him over the cobbles but was also much harder work, and by the time they reached the gift shop, he was exhausted. He stopped to catch his breath and the rain chose that moment to get heavier.

“Quick! Let's just get in!”

“I'm knackered, hang on.” He walked them to the door, before grunting. “Brilliant. It's closed on Saturdays.”

“What? That's ridiculous!”

“Only open to guided tours. I don't want a guided tour! Fucking hell!” Some nearby elderly people stared at him. “Urgh, let's go in the gift shop anyway.”

They walked through the door, which had the smallest step they'd seen so far, and found a pretty girl with glasses in front of a blackboard.

“Hello! Would you like a ticket?” she said, brightly.

“I thought it was closed?” Chikara said.

“The gardens are open, not the castle interior.”

Yuuji stood at Chikara's side. “Shall we look around the gardens?”

He looked back up at him. “It's pissing it down.”

“It'll stop soon!” Yuuji looked back up at the girl. “There are places out of the rain, right?”

She nodded. “Plenty of wooden shelters around the walled garden.”

“Be nice! Let's go find one to sit under for a while.” He leant down and whispered as she stooped to get them a map. “Be like old times at the hospital. Under the willow.”

“Are you his carer?”

“Why?” Chikara asked.

“It's free entry for carers.”

"Oh, I see. Yes, I am." Yuuji said.

She passed him the credit card machine and he pressed his card against it to pay the admission. “You need me to open the doors for you?”

“It'll be fine. Thanks.” He turned around and pushed through the doors back first, pulling Chikara through them with him.

The rain had got heavier while they were indoors, now lashing through the air. As if to make things even worse, the cobbles were rounder and slippery here too.

"I need to lean you back again," he said, gingerly walking over the cobbles like a fire-walker.

Progress was slow, but the rain was not. His shirt was becoming wet through and his hair was dripping down his forehead.

“Let's just get under cover quickly!” Chikara screeched.

“What do you think I'm doing?”

“But I'm getting wet!”

Yuuji put his front wheels back on the floor and came around to the front of the wheelchair. “Oh really?” He pointed behind Chikara and carried on shouting. “Cause I have my own eco system back there where it's not fucking raining. That's why I'm completely dry!” He pulled his shirt away from his body to illustrate how soaked he was.

Chikara's wet hair was plastered to his forehead, drips of rain sitting on his hooded top. At first, his face was straight and Yuuji thought he might have overdone it. Was that rain, or had he actually made Chikara cry by shouting?

But then he blew through his lips and started giggling, and as a smile lit up his face, a matching one grew across Yuuji's cheeks. He bent down and kissed Chikara on the forehead.

“Sorry for yelling.”

"Pfft, I'm the one who should be sorry. Of course, you're wet as well."

“Come on.” He got back behind Chikara and pushed him as quickly as he could under the closest piece of shelter. It was a stone archway, which turned out to also house the door leading inside the castle.

A family were sitting on one end of a long wooden bench, eating sandwiches from tin foil parcels. Yuuji placed Chikara at the other end and sat next to him.

“There's a towel in my bag,” Chikara told him. “Let's dry down a bit, eh?”

They smiled at each other and Yuuji dug around until he found a green hand towel underneath a packet of wet wipes. He used it to dry Chikara first, concentrating on his hair and hands, before using it on himself.

“At least it's warm, eh? And with the breeze going through this archway, we'll dry off in no time.”

The small child in the pushchair was staring at Chikara, who smiled back. She waved a tiny hand, so Yuuji lifted Chikara's hand for him, moving it from side to side.

She chuckled and her mother looked up to see what was happening. Yuuji lifted his other hand, waving again and this time, the little boy holding a juice box waved back as well.

“Hello. We're going in there.” He pointed at the castle entrance. He looked about six with deep brown skin and a floppy fringe like his father.

“Are you now? That'll be nice.” He leaned forward and whispered behind his hand. “I heard they have swords in there.”

“They did a film here.” He looked to his mum for confirmation. “Didn't they, Mami?”

She laughed. “Yes, but not a very famous one.” She turned to Yuuji and Chikara. “It's a Bollywood film. There's a song and dance scene they did in the gardens. We showed it to him before we came.”

“What's the film called?” Chikara asked.

“1920.”

He shook his head. “Don't know that one, I'm afraid. I haven't seen enough Indian films. I did enjoy...'Bobby' I think it was called? I'll keep an eye out for this one now.”

The little boy was peeking curiously at Chikara and finally spoke. “What's wrong with your legs?”

His mum held a finger to her lips to quieten him, but Chikara answered with, “Oh I can't move them. Or my hands. It's okay though, 'cause my friend does things for me instead.”

“Like when Mami had Yasmin,” he said, pointing to his sister.

“Yes! Exactly like that. Only Yasmin will be able to walk one day, but I can't.”

“Never?”

“Nope. It's fine though. Some people are born not being able to do things, or they used to be able to and can't any more.”

“Like Dada?” He turned again to his mother. “He never hears what I say any more.”

She laughed. “My Dad is going a bit deaf as he gets older.” She ruffled her son's hair. “Sorry. He's very curious about things.”

"I don't mind answering if you don't mind me telling him."

“Not at all,” she said.

Yuuji looked between Chikara and the woman, sharing a smile. “He seems very bright,” he added.

The children's father had been silent, but at this, he proudly smiled, before carrying on with his sandwich.

–

Eventually, the rain stopped and the sun poked its way out. The family finished their lunch and went into the castle, waving as they left Yuuji and Chikara to have the bench to themselves. Yuuji walked around the side of the castle to see what the gardens were like, eventually deciding the ground wasn't smooth enough for them to comfortably traverse it.

He settled next to Chikara, putting an arm through his.

“Careful,” Chikara said, “That girl might know you lied about being my carer.”

“Or that family might realise I'm not just your 'friend'.”

“Touché.” He turned to receive a peck against the corner of his mouth. “I expected you to tell her you were my boyfriend. You got so annoyed this morning!”

“They didn't offer to pay for my breakfast if I was your carer,” he said, simply. “Aren't you glad we only spent £6, anyway? All we've done is walk across this courtyard. It's the most expensive stroll in the world.”

“My favourite thing is how I keep looking at the clock to see the time, but it's a bloody compass.”

Yuuji looked up at the circular arrangement of letters and hands he'd also assumed was a clock. “Why the hell is there a compass on a castle? Especially one with a moving hand! How often do they move this building, do you think?”

Chikara laughed and mimed looking at a watch. “We'd better go to lunch, it's a quarter past North.”

–

There were two places serving lunch, only one of which had any free tables. So it was, Chikara and Yuuji found themselves sitting in the corner of a pub, stifling laughter.

“Shh!” Chikara said, nudging Yuuji as his shoulders shook silently. “What did he bring you in the end?”

“Half a lager.”

“What did you order again?”

“A pint of lemonade.”

“At least they got my shandy right." Yuuji held it to his mouth and Chikara took a large gulp. "Ah, no wait. This is just lager as well."

“I'd offer you some of my lemonade, but..." He held up his own lager to illustrate, then clinked his glass against Chikara's with a "Cheers!"

The pub seemed small and dark, with the furniture in deep brown wood and insufficient mood lighting. Yuuji's eye was caught by the chalk boards above the bar covered in coloured scrawls outlining the pub's history.

“It says there wasn't a pub in the village until 1990,” he said, pointing the boards out to Chikara.

“Maybe that's why the barman doesn't know what shandy is.” He turned to Yuuji, nodding his head at the wall next to him. “Have you seen this?”

Yuuji leaned forward to see drawings of horses in what looked like felt tip pen on the wall. Their faces were crooked, with the charm of a child's drawings. Chikara's shoulders were shaking.

“Don't be mean! It's nice. It's that naïve style.”

Chikara raised his eyebrows and stared at him. “Really?”

As if to prove a point, Yuuji took a photo of the horses.

Eventually, a different waiter came over, this one with a better knowledge of English. He was tall, with dark hair and glasses, and wore the same clothing, but with a name badge. He seemed to be higher in the pecking order, apologising for the appearance.

“We're having renovations, so a lot of windows are covered.”

“Ah! I did wonder where the stable walls were mentioned up there.” He pointed to the chalk boards.

“It's all behind that wooden divider I'm afraid. Now, what can I get you?"

They ordered soup and a wrap with some onion rings, before settling back and finishing their drinks. After trying it, Yuuji decided the soup was the best thing he had tasted in his life, so he ate most of Chikara's; luckily, despite turning his nose up at onion rings when Yuuji ordered them, Chikara ended up eating plenty of those too.

–

By the time they got back to the hotel on Saturday afternoon, Yuuji was tired from pushing Chikara around the village, made worse by a large lunch. His night's sleep had also been disturbed by having to get up and turn Chikara twice; the lack of an air filled mattress was something he hadn't considered when booking a holiday and despite reassurances, he felt remiss forgetting this detail. He was so exhausted, it was all he could do to get Chikara back into bed before collapsing next to him and nodding off quickly.

He woke up with his head on Chikara's pillow, their foreheads touching. He quickly looked up to check the time, before settling back next to him, nuzzling his soft dark hair.

“Chika?” He waited for a murmur before saying, “It's almost six. We have to be somewhere for seven.”

“Let's stay here. Room service. Stay in bed.”

“Well, we could. But, don't you want to know why I booked this particular hotel?

Chikara opened his eyes sleepily. “I do. But I also want to stay here and do this.” He leant up to kiss Yuuji, but he refused to be pulled into anything. They had an important booking, he knew Chikara wouldn't want to miss it if he knew what it was, even for a sleepy quickie.

He rolled away before he was persuaded, and got them both ready in time.

“Have we got time to get there?” Chikara asked as they left the room at ten to seven.

“Yeah, it's only down here.”

“It's inside the hotel? Oh.”

“What's up?”

“Nothing. I thought...never mind.” He smiled over his shoulder at him.

“We haven't been 'round the whole hotel yet. You don't know what's here,” Yuuji said, kissing his head.

Carlos was waiting around the corner for them and led them to a corridor running parallel to the gardens. It opened out into a glass foyer, with more of the large dog paintings. Chikara spotted a sign and turned to Yuuji again.

“A spa? Oooh, is that where we're going?”

“Nope.”

“Boo. I fancied a massage or something.”

Yuuji leaned and whispered in his ear, "I can do that later back in the room if you insist." They both giggled and looked up to make sure Carlos hadn't heard him.

He took a left turn and the corridor became darker. There were no windows in this section of the hotel.

“Can I trust you to close your eyes, or do you need a blindfold?” Yuuji asked.

"It depends on what you've got planned..."

“It's nice, I promise. I want it to be a surprise, that's all.”

Chikara dutifully closed his eyes, tipping his head back so Yuuji could see he'd done it.

“Okay.” Carlos held a large double door open for them and he walked them both through. “You can open your eyes now.”

They were standing in a small room, with twinkling lights on the ceiling. There were about fifteen brown chairs to their left and at the end opposite the door, a large blank screen.

“Is this...a cinema?”

“Yeah. A private cinema. Just for us.”

Carlos came back with a trolley, two metal cloches sitting on the top, as well as a bottle of prosecco in an ice bucket on the bottom level. “Your dinner, sirs.”

Yuuji settled Chikara next to a seat on the front row; Carlos pulled the trolley over in front of them, before placing napkins on their laps with a flourish.

“There's dessert afterwards,” he said as he poured out the wine, “Let me know when you would like it. If you need anything else, of course, page me.” He walked away to the back of the room. “I'll start the film in five minutes as we discussed.”

Chikara still hadn't spoken, making Yuuji nervous. He'd only seen him like this once before, when they'd gone to the fundraising match against Fukurodani.

“Are you okay?” He leant sideways and put his arm through Chikara's. “I wanted it to all be a surprise, so I didn't ask you anything. Then I wasn't sure what food to order, really, so I got fish, cause I know you like it. And I wasn't sure on the film, so I chose one of your favourites...”

“Yuuji!” he interrupted and kissed him, “This is so perfect! What the hell? How is there a private cinema in here? This hotel is bonkers.” He kissed him again. “ _You're_ also bonkers, by the way.”

“You haven't seen the best bit yet. There's a B movie before the main feature.”

"Ooh, what is it? Something by Ed Wood? Some Grindhouse?"

Yuuji nodded his head at the screen where the short film had started running. “Nope. It's called 'The Day Armageddon Arrived'. Not sure if you've heard of it?”

Chikara looked at him, his mouth slack jawed. “You finished my film?” he said in disbelief at the top of his voice.

Carlos came through the door to check they were okay, but Yuuji assured him they were. “Yeah. Well, I didn't. I mean, I wasn't sure if it was a good idea, but Keiji said he knew what you wanted. Moniwa had some time spare, Ryuu helped out. Tendou even finished the music. Everyone kind of chipped in a bit.” He nudged him to watch the screen again. “Anyway, you're missing it! We'll talk afterwards.”

“Yuuji, I...” He looked up at the screen where the titles had started running, electronic music in the background perfectly complementing the vision he'd had for his story, and his emotions couldn't be contained any more. “Can we...stop it? I'm missing...'cause I...fuck.” His head dropped and he started weeping.

Yuuji pressed the button of the pager, requesting the film be stopped when Carlos showed up. He held up a hand to show he'd be five minutes.

He got up, putting his arms around Chikara. “I didn't expect you to cry! Honey.” He stroked his hair as he held him. “It was meant to make you happy!”

Through his sobs, he managed to speak. "I'm happy! It's the nicest thing anyone's ever done. These are good tears. They're just coming out weird.”

“Ah, I see. Well, shall I tell you something else while you're already crying?” He nodded into Yuuji's shoulder. “The Karasuno team gave you back your donation. _Again_. Because they thought you deserved a holiday and I told them about this place with a private cinema where you can show your own films.”

“I gave them that to go to Nationals!”

“But they raised it for _you_ so they insisted. It paid for the hotel, the cinema hire, extra wages for Carlos, petrol, all the food...”

Chikara moved back from his shoulder to look at him properly. “Wait. So, you didn't pay for any of this?”

“No. The donation more than covered it.”

He looked up at him with a smirk. “I thought this was my birthday present from you? Does this mean you still owe me a present?”

“No.” He got a box from his pocket and held it between them. “Here's my present.”

The box was small and square, a hinged lid ringed in a gold stripe. Chikara felt Yuuji's heartbeat pick up, his own joining in as he searched Yuuji's face for teasing, but found none.

“I was meant to do this after the film...” Yuuji said softly.

“But, you said...”

“It's not that. But it's...something like it." He opened the lid to reveal a thick silver band. "I mean. One day it'll be that. For now, it's so you know how serious I am about you.

Chikara's bottom lip quivered. “You're not going to say the words, are you? 'Cause I'm not sure I can cope with that.”

“I'm going to say _some_ words.” He sat back down next to him and took his hand. “I'm going away soon and I'm terrified. I'll miss you so much, but I know it's for the best for us both. So. I want people to know I won't forget about you while I'm gone. That I'm not going to meet someone else just because you're not around.”

“No one thinks that...” he began to protest, but Yuuji stopped him.

“There'll be people who think that. I'm not stupid.” He took the ring from the box, holding it for Chikara to see better. “I got silver on purpose. I mean, it was cheaper obviously and I'm a poor student, but I thought gold or something would scare you too much. I know you're not ready to get married yet.”

“It's not that...”

“Stop interrupting me!” He smiled and pecked his nose. “I have this all planned out. I'd marry you right now, but I'm an idiot. I need your calming influence or I'd be off doing whatever I fancied.” He pointed to the ring, where Chikara could see a small symbol. “See? I had it inscribed.”

“You know I can't read kanji, right?”

“It says 'hei'. Means calm, steady, even. It's what you are to me.” He kissed Chikara's forehead. “Whenever you choose, that'll be the right time. I trust you.”

Chikara smiled. “So, you mean. I get you a ring? When I'm ready?”

Yuuji nodded. “Exactly. This is like...a promise for the future.” He kissed Chikara again, this time on his lips and with unbearable softness. “This is it, you know. I make a lot of snap decisions, but I think this one is right. For once.”

He was still smiling, as he said, “Aren't you going to put it on me then?”

“If you want me to?” Yuuji said, smirking.

“Of course I do!” He lifted his elbow off the arm of his wheelchair. “Get it on there.”

“You sure you want it on the left? I won't be offended...”

“Get on with it!” he said, waving his left hand at him again.

Yuuji laughed and pushed the ring onto Chikara's ring finger, before flinging his arms around him. He kissed him, dragging Chikara's bottom lip between his own. They forgot where they were, that there was a film waiting for them, that their food was going cold on the trolley.

Carlos decided to wait until he got a signal from them to carry on, backing his way out through the door.

–

Luckily, the metal covers meant the food wasn't too cold by the time they got round to eating it. Yuuji was happy he'd made the right decision to finish the film for Chikara, even though he noticed some looks of dissatisfaction crossing over his face as he watched it.

“I shouldn't complain,” he said when it was over, “I should be happy it got finished.”

“But there're things you'd have done differently." He looked at him and winked. "Diva."

Carlos brought in the dessert, which was a trifle inside a cone. Yuuji had chosen it thinking it would be easy to eat while they watched the film, but they both ended up with cherry ice cream on their clothes. With one pair of jeans soaking wet and this pair covered in food, he was glad he'd listened to his mother telling him to bring a third pair. Not that he'd admit that to her.

The main film was basically background noise. Chikara had seen it enough times already anyway, and Yuuji wasn't interested in anything other than their bodies pressed together in the dark.

It was a reminder of their time together at the hospital, trying to keep their clothes intact, Yuuji hiding his erection as Chikara teased him with flicks of his tongue.

“We should go back to the room,” Yuuji choked out, “We can't do anything here. Well. We _could_ , but I don't think we _should_.”

“See? You don't need me as your impulse control after all.”

“If things were easier, I'd be climbing on you and ripping your clothes off. I absolutely need you to control me.” He laughed and licked at his lips. “You know what I mean.”

“There's time left for me to control you later. You promised me a massage.”

“Okay. But there's only one night left,” Yuuji pouted.

“We only went away for _two_.”

“I had so many plans though! Of what we were gonna do. We've spent most of it in bed.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” he said, leaning towards him so he could reach his neck, nibbling against it. “In fact, why didn't you plan to stay in bed all weekend anyway?”

“We can do this anywhere, though.” He slipped an arm around Chikara, pulling him closer.

Chikara kissed across his neck, working his way up to his chin. “You know what we can't do everywhere, but we could try here...if you're up for it?”

Yuuji had never moved so fast in his life.

– *** -

Every now and again from the corner of his eye, Yuuji saw Chikara stretching his jaw downwards; it gave him a strange pang of guilt and arousal and he had to quickly turn away every time, even though his eye was always drawn back to him. It flicked between his face and his left hand, lingering on his mouth or on the ring in turn. Seeing the silver band sitting there made everything pull sharply into focus, every time he saw it.

“Yuuji? Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” He looked back up at his face. “Why?”

“I asked you, what are you going to have?” He grinned. “You look really gormless. What's up?”

“I was...looking at you. Thinking how lucky I am.”

“Oh shush, you massive dork. Should I have porridge again?”

"Why would you get porridge when there's cooked breakfast or Eggs Benedict. Oh, or look! Avocado on toast! I'm getting that."

“Careful. According to the internet, you might not be able to afford a house in the future.”

A short waitress with long dark hair in a scraped back ponytail came over and asked what they'd like. Yuuji ordered his avocado, but Chikara hesitated.

“If I get the porridge, are you going to make fun of me?”

“Of course not!”

“Porridge then, please.”

She wrote down their order and walked back to the waiting station. Yuuji poured their coffee from the cafetière, adding milk for Chikara and some sugar for himself. He leant down and got the newspaper they'd asked for and spread it across the breakfast table; neither of them really understood why they'd said yes when they were asked if they wanted a newspaper every morning.

The two of them waited for their food, Yuuji drinking his coffee, giving Chikara his, turning pages when they'd finished each one. Every now and again, one would point out something in the text, or Yuuji would top up their drinks.

Eventually the food arrived; there was a pool of fruit compote in the centre of Chikara's porridge, and flakes of chilli sprinkled over the poached eggs on top of Yuuji's avocado on toast.

As they ate, another waiter came over with a tray. They hadn't met this one before; he was much older, grey haired, and spoke with a heavy accent. “Hello, my friends. I hear you're celebrating this morning! Allow us to treat you to a mimosa.” He took two champagne flutes from the tray and placed them next to the food. “Many congratulations from us all at Rudding Park.”

The two of them looked at each other and then back at the waiter. He was fairly loud and moved with well-rehearsed flourishes which had drawn the attention of everyone else in the dining room.

“Sorry?” Yuuji said.

“I was under the impression you got engaged last night? Carlos said...I'm so sorry if I misunderstood.” His hand flew to his chest and he looked genuinely distraught.

Yuuji started to accept the apology, but Chikara spoke first, much loudly than usual. “Yes! That's right, we're engaged! And very much in love.” He looked straight at Yuuji, with a wink.

Yuuji smiled and leant forwards to catch his pursed lips in a kiss, before turning back to the waiter. “Thank you.”

The waiter bowed in an overly dramatic fashion before walking away.

“What was all that about?” Yuuji leaned and asked in a quiet whisper.

He looked over his shoulder. “That couple from yesterday were staring. Thought I'd give them a show. What are they doing?”

Yuuji stole a look at them. “He's grumbling about something and she's frowning.”

“Ah, they must have seen then. Kiss me again, that'll really piss them off.”

Their second kiss over breakfast was much longer and deeper. Chikara was right; the old man grumbled about their display of affection to his wife the whole way home.

–

“Did he do it?”

Chikara looked at Keiji through his screen with raised eyebrows. “Do what?”

“He proposed, didn't he?”

“Not really.” Keiji looked back confused, so Chikara elaborated. “It's a kind of promise ring, I think. We're not saying we're engaged. Not until I buy him a ring back.”

“You will though, won't you?”

“Oh yeah. Eventually.”

Keiji smiled at him. “He's a good man.”

“Hey,” Chikara said, suddenly realising something, “How did you know?”

“When he asked me to finish your film, I knew he had something up the sleeve of his ridiculous shirt. He told me about the private cinema. Seemed like a good place to propose to you.”

Chikara looked down, grinning. “Yeah. It was perfect. He's...” He sighed and looked back up. “Hey, by the way. Thanks for finishing the film. Really appreciate you taking time out to do that.”

Keiji looked back at him with a frown. “He didn't tell you?”

“What?”

“Well, I feel mean saying this now. Anyway. He paid us all to do it.”

“He what?”

“Well, yeah. No offence, none of us have time to do stuff for free. When he offered an hourly rate, though...”

Chikara's jaw had dropped. “He's unbelievable.”

Keiji just laughed. “You really found yourself a live one, didn't you?”

“Keiji, pal, you have no fucking idea.”


End file.
